NEW TONIGHT AT 6:00, A LOCAL ARTS GROUP FILES A LAWSUIT TO STOP THE REMOVAL OF A STATUE FROM THE CHEROKEE TRIANGLE. THE BRONZE STATUE OF JOHN BRECKINRIDGE CASTLEMAN HAS BEEN VANDALIZED SEVERAL TIMES IN THE PAST TWO YEARS. YOU CAN SEE PAINT STILL COVERS IT IN JANUARY, A VOTE BY THE CHEROKEE TRIANGLE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE TO REMOVE THE STATUE ENDED IN A TIE. THE MAYOR’S OFFICE APPEALED TO THE LANDMARKS COMMISSION, WHICH RULED IT CAN BE REMOVE AN ATTORNEY FOR THE GROUP, FRIENDS OF LOUISVILLE PUBLIC ART, CALLS THE PROCESS FLAWED. >> I THINK IT IS TOTAL >> I THINK IT IS TOTALLY ERRONEOUS, A TOTAL MISINTERPRETATION OF THE LAW BY THE CHAIR, THE BRAND NEW CHAIR I MIGHT ADD, OF THE LANDMARKS COMMISSION THE STATUTE OR THE ORDINANCE SAYS IF THERE’S A TIE VOTE, IT’S DENIED AND SO ALL OF THAT WILL BE DECIDED BY THE COURT, AND THEN IT’LL GO BACK PROBABLY TO A NEW HEARING IF THE CITY WANTS TO CONTINUE TO PUSH THE ISSUE JENNIFER: THE LAWSUIT NAMES THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, THE LANDMARKS COMMISSION, AND METRO GOVERN

A Louisville-area arts group has filed a lawsuit to stop the removal of the John B. Castleman statue from the Cherokee Triangle.The bronze statue has been vandalized several times in the past two years. A review committee voted in January to leave the Castleman statue where it is. Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer quickly announced his office would consider an appeal.In May, the Landmarks Commission voted 5-3 to in favor of the city's appeal to remove the statue.Steve Porter, an attorney for Friends of Louisville Public Art, called the process "flawed.""I think it is totally erroneous, a total misinterpretation of the law by the chair, the brand-new chair, I might add, of the Landmarks Commission," Porter said. "The statute or the ordinance says if there's a tie vote, it's denied. So all of that will be decided by the court and then it'll go back, probably, to a new hearing if the city wants to continue to push the issue."The lawsuit names the Architectural Review Committee, the Landmarks Commission and Metro government. Castleman was an officer in the Confederate Army before he became a general in the U.S. Army. He is also credited with creating and running Louisville's park system.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. —

A Louisville-area arts group has filed a lawsuit to stop the removal of the John B. Castleman statue from the Cherokee Triangle.

The bronze statue has been vandalized several times in the past two years.

A review committee voted in January to leave the Castleman statue where it is. Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer quickly announced his office would consider an appeal.

In May, the Landmarks Commission voted 5-3 to in favor of the city's appeal to remove the statue.

Steve Porter, an attorney for Friends of Louisville Public Art, called the process "flawed."

"I think it is totally erroneous, a total misinterpretation of the law by the chair, the brand-new chair, I might add, of the Landmarks Commission," Porter said. "The statute or the ordinance says if there's a tie vote, it's denied. So all of that will be decided by the court and then it'll go back, probably, to a new hearing if the city wants to continue to push the issue."

The lawsuit names the Architectural Review Committee, the Landmarks Commission and Metro government.

Castleman was an officer in the Confederate Army before he became a general in the U.S. Army. He is also credited with creating and running Louisville's park system.